Good vegetable soup

Ingredients

For the base ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive or sunflower oil, or 30g/1oz butter
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

For the aromatics

• 1 bouquet garni
• and/or 1-2 fresh red chillies, de-seeded and chopped
• or 1 tsp or more curry paste or curry powder or spices, e.g. cumin, fennel seeds, cinnamon, etc

For the main ingredients

• 1 potato, or other thickener if needed, peeled and cut into chunks
• 500g/18oz vegetables, prepared as appropriate and roughly chopped

For the liquid

• 1-1.5 litres/1¾-2¾ pints) vegetable or chicken stock, or vegetable cooking water, or a mixture of water and milk

Seasonings

• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oil or butter gently in a large saucepan, then add the base ingredients, the aromatics and the main ingredients. Stir around to coat everything in the fat, then sweat very gently for 10-15 minutes.

2. Add 1litre/1¾pints of stock or other liquid, saving the rest for thinning down (if necessary), and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring up to the boil, then simmer gently for about 20 minutes until all the vegetables are tender.

3. Liquidise in several batches, and return to the pan. Thin down with the reserved stock, water or milk as required, and check the seasoning

4. Reheat when needed.